James f



(No Model.)

J. P. MGELROY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 387,526. Patented Aug. '7, 1888.

In Ten Zor. J new'F/I EZr N4 PETERS. Fmobnwgnphar, Washingmm D. C.

UMTED STATES PATENT ErrcE.

JAMES F. MOELROY, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEWIS O. BUTLER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,526, dated August 7, 1888.

Application filed March 17, 1887. Serial No. 331,242.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMES F. MOELROY, of Lans ng, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had totheaccompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric switches for electricllght and other circuits; and the object thereof is to prevent all possibility of arcing and to make its operation so simple and reliable [5 that neither special care nor experience is re quired to operate it.

The invention consists in the peculiar construct1on,arrangement,and combination of the dlfierent parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Inthe drawings which accompany this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvedswitchwith thecoverremoved. Fig. 21s a vertical central section thereof. Fig. 3 is 25 a horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a plan showing it in a certain position during its operation.

A is a casing, preferably of wood or other insulating material.

B B B B are segmental cylindrical con- 0 tact-plates fixed to the inner walls of the cas- 1n g. The contact-plates B B are opposite each other and form, respectively, the positive and negative terminals of an electric circuit. The contact-plates B B are placed correspond- 5 ingly below the contact-plates B B; but they form only one terminal of a branch or other circuit, as they are electrically connected with each other by the metallic plate 0 on the bottom of the case.

D is a spindle carrying the spring E, to the free end of which the contact-pieceF is secured.

G is a bridge arranged to form a bearing for the spindle.

H is a key for turning the spindle by hand.

5 This key has a socket which engages loosely with the spindle; but a pin, I, secured to the spindle, engages into an oblong slot, J, in the key. A coil-spring, K, is placed around the lower end ofthe key, with one end of it se cured to the pin I and the other end to the key,

as at L. This spring acts with a torsional ten- (No model.)

sion,which is sufficiently strong to automatically adjust the key on the spindle into the relative position shown in Figs. 1 and 4-that is, with the pin I in the rear end of the elongated slot J-so that in turning the key to the right the latter has no lost motion on the spindle.

M is a click pivotally secured at N and pro-- vided with the retracting'spring O. This click operates in connection with a ratchet, P, sooured upon the spindle, and provided with two cogs, R, and two flat faces, S, all so arranged that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig.1 the spindle islocked in position, and can only be turned to the right by a force sufficient to overcome the locking action of the spring of the click.

In practice, the parts being arranged and constructed as described, the operation is hr tended to be as follows: The switch being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the movable con tact F electrically connects the contact B (which is one of the terminals of the electric circuit) with the contact B below it, and if the spindle is now given a half-turn the mo\ able contact F first breaks this electrical connection, and then forms a new connection between the contact 13 (which is the other terminal of the electric circuit) and the contact B below it.

In turning the movable contact F from one position into the other, the ratchet P and click M must pass through the position shown in Fig. 4, and as soon as this position is reached the tension of the spring 0 will force the spindle to accomplish the rest of the movement automatically and carry the movable contact with a quick jump from one set of stationary contacts over the intermediate insulation onto the other set of stationary contacts. At the same time the click will fall into its locking position with a loud sound, which indicates to the operator that the change is accomplished. This automatic jump of the movable contact prevents arcing, which in electric-light circuits often destroys or inj uriously affects the switch. It will be further noticed that the operator can in no way prevent this jumping of the movable contact on account of the lost motion provided between the key and the spindle.

As soon as the operator releases the key af ter accomplishing the opertttiointhe spring 11 will force the key to automatically take up its lost motion.

It will be understood that the spring K is not an element necessary to accomplish the jumping 01' the movable contact, and it may therefore be omitted; but its use has the advantage that it turns the key into a fixed po sition which may be most handy for the oper- IO ator, and at the same time renders the key less liable to be turned in the wrong direction, to the possible injury of the switch; and, further, the play provided between the key and the spindle will not puzzle an uninitiated or inex- 15 perieneed operator.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. In an electric switch having fixed cylilr drical contacts and a movable contact carried by a spindle, an actuating key or handle secured to said spindle and having a loose con neetion therewith, a ratchet secured to the spindle and provided with cogs and fiat faces, and a spring-click operating in connection therewith to impel the spindle through the medium of the ratchet, substantially as de scribed.

2. 111 an electric switch, the combination, with the tixed cylindrical contacts, of a spindle, a spring carrying the movable contact, a

key secured to the spindle and having a loose connection therewith, a ratchet having cogs and ilat faces, and a spring-click operating in connection with said ratchet to form an impelling and locking device for said spindle, substantially as described.

3. In an electric switch having fixed cylin' drieal contacts, a movable contact carried by a spindle, and a spring-actuated lmpelling de' vice on said spindle, a key or handle secured to said spindle and having a loose connection therewith, and a spring between said spindle and key arranged to takeupsnch rotary play, substantially as described.

4. In an electric switch, the combination of the fixed cylindrical contacts B B B :1, the

spindle 1'), the movable contact F. carried by said spindle, the key or handle II, having a loose connection therewith, the ratchet P, so cured to the spindle and having cogs 1t and fiat faces S,and the springelick M,all arranged to operate substantially as described.

5. In an electric switch, the combination of the fixed contacts B B 5 B, the spindle l), the movable springcontact F, the key or han dle H, having a loose connection therewith, the spring K, arranged to take up said play, the 'atehet 1, having cogs R and flat l'aees S, and the spring-click M, all substantially as described.

JAMES F. MeELROY.

Wi t nesses:

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